This book was enjoyable and captivating. Bea has grown up with her uncle, his partner, and her son Raffy on the stunning Ravenswood estate. When fortunes turn, it’s up to Bea to save the estate. This was a gripping and unpredictable read, perfect for children in Year 5 and above.

Another wonderful story from the ever brilliant Natasha Farrant. The children's relationships with each other, the adults in their lives and their home is utterly heartwarming. An exciting adventure with a wonderful message about what the really important things are in life, deftly woven in. I am never not excited to start a new Natasha Farrant book!

This was a really special book and an absolute delight to read.

Ravenwood is a special old house and garden where Bea and her friend Raffy live with their found family (her uncle Leo and his mum Martha). They live a whimsical childhood, playing in the grounds of the house and on the beach until one day life outside their known world starts to intrude - Bea and Raffy both begin to discover their real families and when Ravenwood comes under threat, they have to decide whether there is anything they can do.

It was so well written with so many exciting adventures and really interesting characters. At times, Bea, Raffy and their friend Noa, along with all of the adults made poor choices or behaved badly but the strength of love and friendship really came through.

A highly recommended book from a brilliant author.

This has to be one of the most highly anticipated middle grades for 2023 - a new novel from the Costa Book Awards winner for ‘The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk’, author Natasha Farrant! Very exciting! This is a BIG story. BIG because like one of my favourite cakes, there are layers upon layers of delicious storylines for the reader to immerse themselves in, but at the heart of it is a dollop of yummy chocolate ganache - unconditional love for one's family and friends. This is because at the core of the book is Ravenwood, a rural home by the sea, a family home that represents a place of refuge and adventure to those who need it no matter what stage of life they might be in, young or old, rich or poor. Ravenwood has a nature-nurture magic about it (with a sprinkle of Norse mythology).

Let’s just start by saying there is no ‘normal’ when it comes to families. These days the Victorian-era myth has been completely BUSTED… a family goal of two parents (male and female) with two children (boy and a girl preferably) is GONE. Quite frankly - good riddance. I’m so fed up of any kind of narrative in the media, overheard on the street or in a shop, in a pub, anywhere that professes that the aforementioned age old ideal is ‘what’s best’, especially when they say it’s ‘what’s best for the children’. Yikes! Pass me a paper bag! Hence, my gorgeous reader, I love this book all the more… let me tell you why…

About the book
Ravenwood is set in along the British rural coastline... one that was certainly invaded by Vikings at some point in history, for within its idyllic setting there is a 400 hundred year old tree named Yggdrasil or 'Ygg' for short (after the old Norse mythology world tree that supports the universe) and a Viking longboat upon the clifftop named 'Skidbládnir' (after the Norse mythology collapsible ship) skillfully crafted from a 'storm-felled oak' - a great place for children to play. There's a secluded cove too. In fact you might think an adventure set in such a dreamy location might mean that this is work of historical fiction. Not at all. We are slap bang in contemporary times and all the modern socio-familial dynamics you can throw at a story without it spoiling.

I'm going to keep with the cake analogy going...Think of your favourite sponge cake... Now, imagine the top layer represents three brothers in their 30s to 40s - Alex, Leo and Jack, born and raised at Ravenwood; the bottom layer represents three children unrelated by blood - Bea (daughter of Alex, 'fostered' by Leo), Leo and Noa; the filling is exceptionally gooey jam (strawberry please) and when you pull apart the layers, the fruity middle layer sort of sticks to the top layer or bottom layer, expanding and contracting.... well lovely readers, this that BIG story I mentioned earlier. I hope you're still with me!

Now 11 years old, Bea was dropped off by her father, Alex, in a moment of parenting despair with his brother Leo (a bachelor) at Ravenwood when she was just a young baby. A couple of days turn into forever, bar a handful of times when reunited for attempts at holidays abroad, which only lead to disaster. Bea grows up with Ravenwood as her home and Leo very much as her primary carer, a doting father-figure who loves her dearly. Her birth mother is far from maternal, unstable even, and Bea naturally mistrusts relationships and experiences many complex emotions throughout the story including feelings of anger, false hope, guilt, fear, and rejection. Flitting in and out of her life at unpredictable intervals, Alex and his wife leave Bea with deep mental scars which can be very triggering for her.

Haven-like in nature, and quite soon after Bea's 'fostering' by Leo, Ravenwood becomes home to another lost soul or two. Leo meets Martha with her baby Raffy in the village looking for somewhere to stay, and after staying at Ravenwood for a short while end up becoming part of the family as Leo and Martha fall in love.

So, these misfits have become a beautiful family of four, happy at home in Ravenwood, living a traditional outdoorsy life, swimming at the cove, climbing trees, picnics in the grounds... [Nicci: is this place on Air B&B by any chance? ]. Bea and Raffy are about to start secondary school after the school holidays. The Summer is here and for these two no-longer-year-6'ers as close a siblings, adventure awaits.

As the reader wends their way through the twists and turns of the book, author, Natasha Farrant's characters take turns to steer. This method lends to the complexity of the plot, perhaps a challenge for some less advanced readers in this age group to keep up without getting in a muddle, but wholly enjoyable for a confident reader. There's quite a bit of satisfaction in interpreting the narrative from more than two interchanging character's perspectives.

With Raffy wanting to spend as much quality time having fun with Bea before the daunting new secondary school starts in September, he's none-too-pleased when Leo brings home a girl called Noa to stay. Competition for Bea's attention! The friendship triangle between Bea, Raffy and Noa is extremely well played. The reader is invited to explore the children's inner thoughts and is given various clues along the way as to what each character's true intentions and temperament are, and perhaps what they might become to signify. Even more vexing than Noa's arrival is the invitation that arrives for Bea to go to Venice for a dazzlingly luxurious sailing trip holiday with her birth parents. Of course given everything that has happened in the past, Raffy can't imagine Bea would say yes... however, to his absolute disgust, she does. Such is Bea's naïve confusion and flawed sense of hope that her parents truly love her and want to be the 'real' family she belongs to. Whilst she is away, Raffy and his mother Martha go to London and he discovers family he never knew he had. The children are forced apart to go each on their own path of discovery about who and where they came from.

All of a sudden, life at Ravenwood, after 11 peaceful years becomes filled with drama and soon enough it is revealed that there is duplicitous behaviour afoot amongst the older brothers. Perhaps Noa's presence is a blessing after all, an outsider in need of refuge herself after her mother had to leave to go abroad suddenly, she sees everything in a different light, calculates the relationships she sees before her - their actions, words and feelings - and realises that she can help Bea and Raffy to glue all the mysterious goings on together to save Ravenwood!! Yes, the glue that holds this lovely family together comes apart only to reunite in the quest to save their beloved home, Ygg and the local community spirit, with a climactic eco-protest to boot.

'The Rescue of Ravenwood' deals with themes of abandonment, rejection, dysfunctional families, and (unofficial) foster parenting. It is a tale of bravery, a love of nature and how much enjoyment and creativity there is to be experienced outdoors, alone or with family or friends. It evokes the wish to create lasting memories and wonderful magical adventures. Bea goes to great lengths to escape from Venice to return to England to save Ravenwood and what it represents - somewhere safe, filled with love for those who have nowhere to call home and no one to call family - a valuable lesson in sharing something good or special in our lives with those who are in need.

A rewarding read and another triumph for Natasha Farrant.

With a timeless quality to her writing, Natasha Farrant has once again produced a novel which will delight readers both young and old as they cheer for Bea, Raffy, and Noa as they hatch daring plans to save their beloved home of Ravenwood from being yet another development. A fabulous addition to any middle grade book shelf.

I read a number of books for YA or children and they were all very good, the right type of story I would have loved when I was a child.
And loved now because there's food for thought, friendship and great characters. This is a well plotted and intriguing story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I must admit that after enjoying Natasha Farrants previous book so much, I read it alone (without telling the children) and now I have to read it again to them. I relish that thought because not only did I enjoy it so much I know that the children will love it just as much.

A book for fans of studio ghibli and the found family trope!

A wonderful mature book for young readers that will connect them to Ravenwood as it did the characters.

The reason I didn’t rate it higher is just down to personal preference in genre.

Enjoyed this book. Bea has grown up with her uncle in the idyllic Ravenwood. Tree houses, swimming in the sea...but when this existence is threatened and the house is threatened with demolition - Bea and her friends must do everything they can to save it. Neat story.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. The thing that struck me most reading this is that is didn't seem to talk down to younger readers. It has a maturity of voice that I really liked and think KS2 readers will too. At the beginning of the book I felt unsure about a couple of character introductions but it didn't take me long to be really absorbed in the relationship between Bea, Raffy and Noa and the exploration of their individual histories and their complex extended families. The story is about saving their beloved home, Ravenwood and the proposed felling of much-treasured ancient tree Yggdrasil provides the catalyst for change within many of their familial relationships. I liked how lots of issues were touched upon (environmental issues and refugees to name but a few) that would lead to many talking points in the classroom, particularly in regard to what 'home' really means.

Ravenwood is the home to Bea and Raffy - a home that is more like a community of friends .Life seems idyllic until the children find themselves away from their home and discover that things are changing .The complexities of extended families and relationships are told against the backdrop of the possibility of the children losing Ravenwood through crime and greed.A race to save their home and force adults to reconsider decisions unite the children in taking direct action. Although the environmental aspect of saving Ravenwood developed it did feel as though this could have had a more central role within the plot rather than building up the relationships between the children and their parents in such depth . A good read that should capture the imaginations of 10- 12 year olds.

I love this book! It’s a story about a girl that wanted to save her precious home. I like the found family trope between Leo, Martha, Bea and Raffy.
First as a mum myself i kinda resent Ingrid for leaving Bea, but then after i read on, i knew how she feels about her condition. My heart broke for Skid! I can imagine Ravenwood must be full of lush greens and the treehouse! Ohh i’ve wanted to have a tree house!
Also Raffy’s grandma! Hero of the day!
I think overall this book gave me a heartwarming feeling. Yes they have problems, but who doesn’t have problem these days? And in the end, all is well so i gave this book 4 stars!

I really enjoyed this book. Families can be complicated, and Bea knows this more than most. She has always lived with her uncle and his partner and her son, Raffy, on the glorious Ravenswood estate with its ancient trees and private cove. Yet the estate is crumbling, and it’s future uncertain, especially when it is owned by 3 brothers who have different ideas about its future. And What about Bea’s parents? When Noa arrives, after being offered shelter for the summer, she finds a beautiful paradise but one that is very much under threat. Can the three children work together to save Ravenswood?

The Rescue of Ravenwood is another thrilling adventure story from the author of Voyage of the Sparrowhawk featuring plucky and resourceful children who summon hidden reserves of courage to confront an existential threat to their way of life.

Ravenwood has been home to Bea and Raffy for as long as they can remember, along with Bea's uncle Leo and Raffy's mother Martha. They have grown up among its ancient trees, its lake and its secret cove, but now it is under threat as Leo's brothers want to sell it to a developer. Together with their new friend Noa who has come to stay for the summer, Bea and Raffy must find a way to protect their home and all the wildlife that has thrived there.

This is a brilliantly plotted story featuring daring train chases across Europe and radical ecological protests before everything comes together in a satisfying way. It is also a story that is full of heart - it has a powerful ecological message about saving "precious places", as well as exploring complex family dynamics with great sensitivity. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

The rescue of ravenwood

I could not stop reading this book! A firm message throughout the story is of family and belonging, and the importance of places.
Character development in this story is one finely crafted by author Natasha Farrant. We meet Bea and Raffy on the day they arrive at Ravenwood, as babies and 11 years later acting as brother and sister, for they never left this home and the ancient spirits that roam about this important home and their giant, ancient Ash tree, aptly named Yggdrasil.

Over the course of one summer plans will be hatched, accidents happen and people displaced but the children in this story are determined, bold and ready to fight for what is vital.

This isn’t so much an adventure story but a tale that unfolds as a classic might, with focus on the wonderful characters and their paths that converge together.

This book contains three important messages. 1. That families don't all look the same and they often don't look the way society tells us they should. 2. Nature matters. 3. A place that feels like home is worth fighting for.

In the book Bea and Raffy's world is rocked when Bea's dad and uncle Jack decide that they want to sell the old family home, Ravenwood.

Bea is struggling with her relationship with her parents, who left her at Ravenwood for a brief visit when she was a baby and then didn't take her back. Although it's not made explicit, Bea's mum is clearly struggling with her mental health, but Bea just feels confused as they come in and out of her life without explanation.

Raffy is also wondering about his family. He and his mum came to Ravenwood when he was a baby to help Leo with Bea and they never left. But now Raffy is wondering where they came from and what other family he has in the world.

Then, one summer, Leo brings home Noa, whose mum and dad have separated. Noa's mum is a nurse and she has had to go and help refugees in a war torn country. Her dad has moved in with his new girlfriend and her twins and although he has said that Noa can come and stay with him, she doesn't want to so Leo says she can stay with them.

This book unpicks a lot around the emotions children go through when their relationships with the adults in their lives change. It shows the anger they feel but also that forgiveness can be found, especially when children find a secure home. And along the way, it describes the joy that is found in the natural world.

Bea and Raffy's lives got bound to Ravenwood when they were only babies and a fallen-down tree was taking up most of the kitchen. It's thier home but also a magical place where nature reigns. In a way, Ravenwood rescued both of them, so its natural that, when Ravenwood is threatened to being sold and maybe even demolished, it's the children's turn to defend it.

The Rescue of Ravenwood is an absolutely breathtaking, achingly beautiful story of home, belonging and all that is infinitely precious around us.
Personnally )and as an adult), it also talked very deeply to me of the loss of childhood and the magic of feelings and emotions awaken by sounds and sensations for children.
Bea said "What you have to understand (...) is that Ravenwood isn't just a place, it's us. (....) Me and Raffy, we've been here since we were babies. It's like we're made of Ravenwood. Maybe it' was the same for Leo and Jack and Dad when you were our age, I don't know. I guess things change when you're old (...)" This right here is how I feel about my grandmother's house and I just can't express how deep and achingly touching the whole story is for me. So I just want to say thank you to Natasha for writing The Rescue of Ravenwood. It can be, I think, an extraordinary path to everyone who's still a child at heart.